ENGLAND ace Bukayo Saka leads the string of Premier League stars nominated for this year’s Ballon d’Or.
The 22-year-old was a shining light for Arsenal last season, bagging 15 goals and 11 assists in their ill-fated Premier League title tilt.
And he’s been joined on the nominations list by countryman Jude Bellingham, who bagged a big-money move from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid this summer thanks to 14 goals and seven assists in his final season for the Germans.
The Three Lions stars have been nominated for the coveted trophy along with some of the biggest names in world football – including their national team skipper Harry Kane.
Karim Benzema and Mohamed Salah have, unsurprisingly, been nominated for the gong.
The prolific duo were joined by a staggering SEVEN Manchester City stars, with Kevin de Bruyne, Josko Gvardiol, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Julian Alvarez, Rodri and of course Erling Haaland all being nominated.
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Manchester United newboy Andre Onana, Aston Villa‘s Emi Martinez and Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard completed the 12-strong line-up of Prem stars up for the trophy.
Jamal Musiala’s displays for Bayern Munich saw him rewarded with a nomination alongside new team-mate and Red Devils summer transfer target Kim Min-jae.
Paris Saint-Germain duo Randal Kolo Muani and Kylian Mbappe also made the cut.
Georgian sensation Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been nominated following an impressive season with Napoli along with team-mate Victor Osimhen.
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Inter Milan duo Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez round out the Italian-based contingent up for the trophy.
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Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid will be represented at the ceremony thanks to Robert Lewandowski, Ilkay Gundogan and Vinicius Jr.
Atletico Madrid‘s Antoine Griezmann is also up for the coveted trophy.
The shock nomination for the trophy comes in the form of Al-Hilal’s Yassine Bounou.
The most predictable nomination, unsurprisingly, came in the form of Inter Miami new boy Lionel Messi.
The seven-time trophy winner is the favourite to claim it again following his heroics at the 2022 World Cup.
Messi, 35, ended Argentina‘s 36-year wait to lift the most famous trophy in football last December at Qatar 2022, a tournament in which he scored seven goals and provided three assists.
Meanwhile Cristiano Ronaldo suffered and brutal blow as he missed out on a nomination for the first time since 2003.
The winner of the prestigious award – which is decided by France football – will be announced on October 30.
The nominees for the Women’s Ballon d’Or and Kopa Trophy were also revealed, with FOUR Lionesses stars included in the star-studded line-up.
Millie Bright, Rachel Daly, Mary Earps and Georgia Stanway – who played huge parts in England reaching last month’s World Cup final – are all up for the gong.
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Ballon d’Or Nominees
Josko Gvardiol (Croatia and Man City)
Andre Onana (Cameroon and Man Utd)
Karim Benzema (France and Al-Ittihad)
Jamal Musiala (Germany and Bayern Munich)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool)
Bukayo Saka (England and Arsenal)
Jude Bellingham (England and Bayern Munich)
Randal Kolo Muani (France and PSG)
Kevin de Bruyne (Belgium and Man City)
Bernardo Silva (Portugal and Man City)
Emi Martinez (Argentina and Aston Villa)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia and Napoli)
Ruben Dias (Portugal and Man City)
Nicolo Barella (Italy and Inter Milan)
Erling Haaland (Norway and Man City)
Martin Odegaard (Norway and Arsenal)
Ilkay Gundogan (Germany and Barcelona)
Yassine Bounou (Morocco and Al-Hilal)
Julian Alvarez (Argentina and Man City)
Vinicius Jr (Brazil and Real Madrid)
Lionel Messi (Argentina and Inter Miami)
Rodri (Spain and Man City)
Lautaro Martinez (Argentina and Inter Milan)
Antoine Griezmann (France and Atletico Madrid)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland and Barcelona)
Kylian Mbappe (France and PSG)
Kim Min-jae (South Korea and Bayern Munich)
Victor Osimhen (Nigeria and Napoli)
Harry Kane (England and Bayern Munich)
Luka Modric (Croatia and Real Madrid)
Women’s Ballon d’Or Nominees
Aitana Bonmati (Spain and Barcelona)
Millie Bright (England and Chelsea)
Linda Caicedo (Colombia and Real Madrid)
Olga Carmona (Spain and Real Madrid)
Rachel Daly (England and Aston Villa)
Debinha (Brazil and North Carolina Courage/Kansas City)
Kadidiatou Diani (France and Lyon)
Mary Earps (England and Manchester United)
Patricia Guijarro (Spain and Barcelona)
Yui Hasegawa (Japan and Manchester City)
Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden and Paris St-Germain/Arsenal)
Sam Kerr (Australia and Chelsea)
Mapi Leon (Spain and Barcelona)
Katie McCabe (Republic of Ireland and Arsenal)
Hinata Miyazawa (Japan and MyNavi Sendai/Manchester United)
Lena Oberdorf (Germany and Wolfsburg)
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and Barcelona)
Ewa Pajor (Poland and Wolfsburg)
Salma Paralluelo (Spain and Barcelona)
Alexandra Popp (Germany and Wolsburg)
Hayley Raso (Australia and Man City/Real Madrid)
Alba Redondo (Spain and Levante)
Guro Reiten (Norway and Chelsea)
Wendie Renard (France and Lyon)
Fridolina Rolfo (Sweden and Barcelona)
Jill Roord (Netherlands and Wolfsburg/Manchester City)
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica and Manchester City)
Sophia Smith (United States and Portland Thorns)
Georgia Stanway (England and Bayern Munich)
Daphne van Domselaar (Netherlands and Twente/Aston Villa)
Only one Premier League star will vie to win the Kopa Trophy, which was scooped by Barcelona’s Gavi last season.
Manchester United new boy Rasmus Hojland is the sole Prem star to be in line to win the award, although he’s only been nominated for it because of his displays for Atalanta last season.
Kopa Trophy Nominees
Jude Bellingham (England and Real Madrid)
Alejandro Balde (Spain and Barcelona)
Eduardo Camavinga (France and Real Madrid)
Gavi (Spain and Barcelona)
Rasmus Hojlund (Denmark and Man Utd)
Jamal Musiala (Germany and Bayern Munich)
Pedri (Spain and Barcelona)
Xavi Simons (Netherlands and RB Leipzig)
Antonio Silva (Portugal and Benfica)
Elye Wahi (France and Lens)
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
